Connecticut’s El-Amin Arrested for Possession of Marijuana

Khalid El-Amin, who helped Connecticut to its first NCAA basketball championship 15 days earlier, was arrested Tuesday in Hartford and charged with possession of less than four ounces of marijuana.

The sophomore point guard was picked up on a Hartford street. El-Amin was hustled out of a police substation just after 6 p.m., and taken to the main police station to be booked.

Another UConn star, junior Richard Hamilton, was with El-Amin when he was arrested but was not charged.

Coach Jim Calhoun issued a statement saying he will “deal with the matter within our program.”

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Swingman Ron Artest announced he will give up his final two years at St. John’s and apply for the NBA draft. In his two seasons, both of which ended in the NCAA tournament, the 6-foot-6 swingman averaged 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists as St. John’s compiled a 50-19 record.

Pro Football

Troy Aikman has reworked his contract with the Dallas Cowboys so he’ll get $85.5 million through 2007, an NFL source who asked to remain anonymous told The Associated Press.

The deal--the largest in the NFL--includes a whopping $20 million signing bonus. Aikman already has received $13 million and will get the remaining $7 million in early 2001, the source said.

Under a contract that previously made Aikman pro football’s salary leader, Aikman was to make $6.5 million in 1999, $7.25 million in 2000 and $8 million in 2001. The new deal drastically lowers those figures but includes a six-year extension, locking Aikman up beyond his 41st birthday.

The Cowboys also announced the return of center Mark Stepnoski, who was given a five-year, $10.5-million contract plus a $3.5-million signing bonus.

The Miami Dolphins re-signed running back Karim Abdul-Jabbar, fullback Stanley Pritchett and defensive end Shane Burton to one-year contracts. Financial details were not announced.

Tennis

Spain’s Albert Costa beat Italy’s Andrea Gaudenzi, 6-3, 6-2, in the first-round of the Seat Godo Open at Barcelona, Spain.

Fellow Spaniard Alex Corretja, No. 5 in the ATP Tour rankings, was not as successful, dropping a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 decision to Morocco’s Youness El Aynaoui.

Michael Chang was taken to three tiebreakers by qualifier Michael Hill before advancing to the second round of the Japan Open at Tokyo.

Chang capitalized on a double fault by his Australian opponent in the final set and won 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4).

Miscellany

Maryland must pay former football coach Mark Duffner nearly $89,000, a Prince George’s County judge ruled at Upper Marlboro, Md.

Circuit Judge Maureen Lamasney said in a written ruling that the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland system owed Duffner for the sixth year of his secondary contract for radio and television appearances and consulting.

University lawyers had argued that Maryland’s obligation under Duffner’s contract ended when he became the Cincinnati Bengals’ linebacker coach in 1997.

USC linebacker Mike Pollard underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee Monday. Pollard, a sophomore, is expected to sit out the 1999 season.

Brad Van Liew’s boat was dismasted one day after the Los Angeles sailor started the fourth and final leg of the Around Alone race from Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Van Liew, the only American remaining in the single-handed race around the world, was closely pursuing France’s J.P. Mouligne for the Class II lead in 30-knot head winds and rough seas Sunday afternoon when his mast snapped. He hoped to put into port to repair the damage and planned to resume the race.

But with considerable difficulty and two broken hacksaw blades, Van Liew was able to cut the broken rigging loose, set a working jury rig and start sailing back to Uruguay.

A former student and colleague of Richard Callaghan asked the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. and the Professional Skaters Assn. to look into his accusations of sexual misconduct and exploitation by Callaghan.

Callaghan has denied the accusations, made by Craig Maurizi in a story published Sunday in the New York Times. Maurizi, 36, said Callaghan made improper advances to him when he was 15, then later initiated a sexual relationship, which continued for four years.

The PSA has 20 days and the USFSA 30 to decide what to do with the complaints.

Masaji Kiyokawa, a Japanese swimmer who won a gold medal at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, died of pancreatic cancer at a Tokyo hospital. He was 86.